Motorbike riders spread Christmas cheer

MOTORBIKE riders will be spreading the Christmas cheer in the South Burnett this weekend, with the running of the annual Christmas toy run.

Up to 80 motorbikes, decorated with tinsel and many ridden by Santa, are expected to descend on Kingaroy loaded with up to 200 toys to be donated to the Salvation Army for local children.

Toy drive organiser Lynnsay Fryer is busy decorating his trike in preparation for the ride.

"I am a tinsel man from way back and I have a mascot bear called Shambling, he is in charge of all the bears and sits on top and tells me where to go,” he said.

Mr Fryer, who moved to the region two years ago, loves to see riders come from far and wide, some driving up to two hours, to make Christmas extra special for the kids in the South Burnett.

"I used to ride in toy runs in Toowoomba and Brisbane but it is not like the South Burnett, where we have four streams of bikes from four different directions converging on Kingaroy at the same time,” he said.

The riders will meet at Kingaroy Mitre 10, where they will have a sausage sizzle. They will leave for the toy run rain, hail or shine at 11am.

They will be riding through the town and slowly making their way to the showgrounds to deliver the toys.

"We have to go very slowly so anyone can get on the footpath and see the bikes go past or come out to the show grounds and see the bikes stationary,” Mr Fryer said.